KNX for a new-build villa, a wireless kit for an existing flat. But there are exceptions; the questions to ask before deciding.
The first question for anyone planning a smart home is: a wired system or a wireless kit? Both are good solutions, but the right choice depends on your home's structure, your budget and what you want to do in the future. The seven questions below will make your decision easier.
1. Is the home being built or lived in?
KNX requires cables to be laid in the walls. During construction or a major renovation that is a nearly cost-free addition; in an inhabited home it adds plaster and paint costs. For an inhabited flat a wireless solution is often more sensible.
2. How many rooms and devices?
In small systems (1-4 rooms) wireless has a clear cost advantage. In large villas (over 200 m²) with many lighting circuits, KNX's unit cost falls and its stability increases.
3. Rented or permanent?
If you rent, a wireless system can be removed and moved to the new home. KNX stays with the house. Wireless solutions are therefore far better suited to tenants.
4. What is your time horizon?
KNX's biggest advantage is longevity; you can still find devices 20-30 years later. Wireless devices may need replacing in about 8-12 years, though the Matter standard aims to extend this.
5. How critical is reliability?
Both systems can be installed to run locally. KNX has its own data line, so it is unaffected by Wi-Fi congestion. With wireless, network planning and enough repeaters are needed.
6. What is the budget?
For a wireless flat an investment of 10-17 thousand TRY per room is enough; with KNX the per-room cost is usually 17-30 thousand TRY and the infrastructure cost is added separately. In our budget calculator you can compare the two infrastructures side by side.
7. Will you install it yourself?
Wireless kits can generally be installed by the user. KNX requires ETS software and programming knowledge; professional installation is a must.
The hybrid solution
In many homes the best answer is a hybrid: main lighting and blinds on KNX, extra rooms and sensors on wireless Matter. Ayvan engineers unite both worlds with the AY-Core controller.
If you find it hard to decide you can book a free online KNX consultation.
Common mistakes
The most common mistake is to start the project with a device list. First write down the rooms and habits and decide which scenes are valuable to you. The second is starting with very cheap Wi-Fi devices fully dependent on the cloud; if the app shuts down a year later the devices may become useless. The third is forgetting physical switches; however smart the system, being able to turn on a light with a classic switch matters.
Whichever infrastructure you choose, if you prefer a future-proof hub (for example one with a Matter bridge that runs locally) moving to another system later will be easy.